Wheeled plow



Feb. 14, 1928.

J. E. BODA WHEELED PLOW Filed Jan. lo, 1927 5 sneets-si'eez 2 Feb. 14,1928. 1,659,234

JVE. BODA WHEE'LED PLOW Filed Jan. l0, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 PatentedFeb. 14, 192s.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH E. BODA, OF DIXON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO il. CSETHRESHING MACHINE COMPANY, F RACINE, VISCONSIN, il; CRERATIT 0FVSGONSIN.

WHEELED PLOW.

Application iled January 10, 192'?. Serial No. 169,030.A

This invention relates to the generalart of wheeled plows, and hasreference more particularly to that type of wheeled plows employing atrailing caster wheel that serves to support the rear end of the plowloe-am or frame structure at a sufficientelevation to maintain the plowshares or ydiscs clear oi the ground while traveling to and from thefield, and, during working, travels in the furrow behind the plow or therearmost plow of the gang. n

One object of the invention is to provide an improved automatic controlgoverning the swiveling movements of the caster wheel,

operating normally to hold thek latter in accurate trailing position inthe iturrow, and at the same time permitting the wheel to swivel in itsspindle bearing to the position ref quired when turning a corn-er ortraveling in a vcurved direction. Another Objectis to provide animproved lock mechanismwhich will be inoperative when the plow is raisedso as to permit the easter wheel to swivel in its spindle hearing whenthe plow is turning a corner or traveling in a curved path, and willautomatically assume an operative position and condition when the plowis lowered to working position and will then act to hold the casterwheel against swiveling under its side thrust against the landside ofthefurrow created by the cumming action of the mold board or obliqueplow disc; this automatic lock being especially useful in connectionwith disc yplows and with mold board plows havingnfa short landside. Y e

Other objects and attendant advantages ol the invention will beapparentv to persons skilledin the art as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein l have illustrated apractical and approved embodiment of the invention7 and in whichv .FigVl is a side elevation of a gang plow equipped with my presentimprovement, showing the plows raised and the caster wheel spindle andits bearing in vertical position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the rear portion of Fig. l, showing therearmost plow in working position and illustrating the oblique orinclined position of thecaster wheel spindle and its bearing, and alsoshow- Cil ing an operative position of the mechanism which locks thecaster wheelv against swivel-- ing under the thrust ot the landside oiEthe" r `in t-he latter figure;

Fig. l is a top plan view ot the rear portion oi' l. showing` the openor inopera-` tive position et the lock and also illustrating the actionof the automatic spring mechanism controlling the swiveling action ofthe caster wheel; Y l Y i Fig. ais a side elevation of the rear portionof Fig. l, viewed from theside opposite that shown in Fig. l; A l

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical section through the caster wheel spindle andits bearing, also showing` the lower portion oi the lever 'for tiltingthe bearing and spindle from inn elined to vertical position to raisethe plow out ot the ground. t

The invention is herein illustrated as applied to a gang plow ot thetype shown in Letters Patent to Robert C. Caughey` No. 1.522.369) datedJanuari7 (i. 1925; the im-i provements i'iorming` the subject-matter ofthe invention having to do with the mechanism lormounting andcontrolling the tra-iling cast-er wheel and for raisinpjhand lowerinn'the'rear end oi the plow frame relatively to said wheel. The mechanismfor supporting and raising and lowering the'forward end oit the-'framemay be assumed to loe identical with the mechanism disclosed in .theaforesaid Letters Patent,y although the subject-matter oi the presentimprovement `is not relate-d to or dependent Vupon such mechanism.

Referring to thedrawing` l() designates as an entirety the plow frame,to which the plow bottoms 1l are rigidly secured; said lltl Y llt.

integral with which and disposed at right angles thereto, is a sleevethat constitutes a relatively long bearing :t'or the upper portion ofabent spindle 1G of the trailing caster wheel 1T. Since the swivelbearing 15 of the spindle is disposed forwardly of the vertical planeoll the axle bearing of the caster wheel, the weight of the plow frameand plow bottoms causes the spindle bearing 15 to rock on its horizontalaxis 13 to the position illustrated in Fig. 2, the extent of' thistilting movement being limited by the con-` tact of an adjusting screw18 mounted in a lug 19 on the bearing member 15 with a fixed stop lug 20attached to one of the bracket plates 19.. This position ol the spindlebearing 15 corresponds to the work ing position of the plow bottoms. Therear end of the plow trame and bottoms is ele vated through a simplemechanism comprising a lever 21 ulcrumed at 22 between the bracketplates 12 and having its lower end in thrust engagement with a notchedlug 23 (Fig. 6) on the side ot the spindle bearing 15 above thehorizontal pivot 13. rlhe upper end of the lever 21 is connected by alink '52a to the upper end oit an arm 25 that is rigidly secured to or:toi-med as a part of the land wheel axle, which latter is manipulatedso as to raise and lower the front por tion ot the plow frame throughmechanism not herein shown but fully shown and described in theaforesaid Patent No. 1,522,- 363. llilhen the arm 25 is swung to thelett, viewing Fig. 1, the link Qel is drawn in the same direction, andthrough the lever 21 the caster wheel spindle bearing and spindle areshifted from the inclined position illustrated in Fig. 2 to the verticalpositionrshown in Figs. 1, fl and 5, thereby elevating the rear portionof the plow frame simultaneously with the elevation of its front.portion.

The rearwardly extending horizontal portion of the caster wheel spindle16 is yieldinglyl held in or parallel with the line ol movement of theplow bottoni 11, so thatthe caster wheel will trail the plow bottom, byan automatic spring-actuated device which is capable of yielding topermit the necessari7 swiveling movement of the caster wheel in eitherdirection when trailing the plow iframe around a corner or on any othercurved path. This mechanism comprises a collar 2G fastened to thespindle 1d by a cross-pin 27 just above the sleeve bearing 15,

a short arm 28 projecting rearwardly from the collar 26, lornied with anaperture QD, a link 80 having a bent end engaged with the aperture Q9,an I-bolt 31 swiveletl in a bracket 89. on the bearing 15, through whichI-bolt the link 30 extends, a spring 33 encircling the link 30 anditooted against the Lbolt 31. and an adjusting nut 31- on the'rcar endof the link 30 forming an abutment for the other ends ot' the spring 38.

The thrust ot the springr 33, of course, tends to draw the arm E28 andthe link 30 into alignment, but through its yielding capacity permitsthe swiveling movement of the caster wheel necessary to a curved travelof the plow, automatically drawing it back into trailing alignment whenthe plow resumes a a rectilinear path. Fig. 1 illustrates thislastf'described action, showing the position assumed by the caster wheeland its aligning mechanism when the plow 'is making a left turn.

Describing nentthe mechanism tor locking the caster wheel spindle 1Gagainst swiveling in its bearing 15 with consequent angling tendency otthe wheel itsell relatively to the direction of travel under thereaction thrust ol the furrow 4wall on the wheel when plowing, i5designates a radial stop arm that is rigid with the spindle 1h, beingrconvenio-nth' formed on the upper portion of the collar 2G above the arm2S. Turnable on the upper end of the spindle 1G above the collar tis ahub 3G from which extends a substantially radial arm? formed on its treeend with aI depending stop lug 3S that lies in the horizontal plane ofthe stop arm 35, as clearly shown in Fic. Integral with the hub 3G andarm 3T is a somewhat longer arm 39 lying at approximately a right angleto the arin 38 and toi-ined in its free end with an aperture 40 toreceive the hook Ii1 of a rod 42. This latter at its rear end isthreaded for adjustable connection to a shank sleeve 43, the rear end o1the latter having an eve lll that is pivotally attached to one ot thebracket plates 12 b v a pivot bolt The hub 3G is confined on the spindle1G as by a cotter Vpin 4t, and the lower end ot the spindle bearing 15is supported on the spindle bya collar Lll' keyed to the spindle.

In the working position of' the plow illustrated in 2 andl 3, the lever21 has been swung rearwardly permitting the spindle bearing 15 ol thecaster wheel to swing down 'ardly and forwardly lo the inclined positionshown in Fig. 2. thus lowering the trame and plow bodies. This angularmovenient oit the spindle bearingr causes the arm 39 to `swingrearwardly. under the thrust of the .link 4t2, to the position shown inFig. 3, bringing the stop member 38 into abutment with the stop member35 that is Jl'ast on the spindle. 'Ihit`v elli'ectivellv locks thespindle 1G against turning in a counterclockwise direction viewing Fig.3, since the arm 35 is fast on the spindle and is locked againstmovement in that direction by the stop lug 38 on the co-operating arm37. Hence, the caster" wheel 17 is eliectively locked against yieldingto the reaction thrustor pressureo the vertical wall ofthe furrow which,otherwise, `might cause the wheel to angle in a direction that wouldlll) shifted to the vertical position as shown in- Figs. l and 5, andthe pull of the link Ll2 on the arm 39 separates and' spreads the stopmembers 35 andi-38, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, thus permitting thecaster wheel to angle in either direction relatively to the line oftravel so that the plow may readily turn a i corner or travel any curvedpath. By

thus locking the caster wheel to resist they ylandside thrust caused bythe lateral thrust on the plow bodies, it is practicable to use a muchshorter vertical mold board on the rear plow than has heretofore beenpracticable on plows using a trailing caster wheel.

I have herein shown and described, for pur oses of illustration, onesimple and praetieiljembodiment of the invention, but it is manifestthat changes in the details ot structure and arrangement may be resortedto without involving any departure from the principle of the inventionor sacrificing any oi the utilities` and advantages therreot'. Hence, Ido not limit the invention to the particular mechanism disclosed, butreserve all such variations, modifications and mechanical equivalents asfall within the spirit and purview of the claims.

1. In a plow, the combination with a plow t'rame, and a trailing easterwheel, ot an upright spindle bearing member mounted on the rear end ofsaid frame, a caster wheel spindle formed with a laterally bent axle forsaid wheel and with a forwardly oil'set upwardl extending Jortion'ournaledin said bearing member, and yieldable elastic means operatingupon said spindle and said bearing member in a manner to oppose relativeturning movements of said part-s and maintain said `caster wheel inalinement with said plow frame; said yieldable elastic means comprisingan arm fast on the spindle, a second arm fast on the bearing member, anapertured spring abutment member on said second arm, a rod pivoted atone end to said iirst-named arm and extending through said springabutment member, a nut on the other end of said rod, and a compressionspring encircling said rod and conlined endwise between said abutmentmember and said nut.

2. In a plow, the combination with a plow frame, and a trailing casterwheel, of a caster wheel spindle having a forwardly offset upwardlyextending portion, a bearing member for said upwardly extending portionpivoted horizontally on said plow :trame to swing between a verticalpositionand a forwardiy inclined position, means for shifting saidbearing member between said positions, y

and means independent of said shifting' means for locking said spindleagainst turning in 'said bea 'ing member under side pressure on saidwheel automatically brought into action when said bearing member movesfrom vertical to inclined position and automatically thrown out ofaction when said bearing member moves from inclined to verticalposition.

3. In a plow, the combination with a plow frame, and a trailing casterwheel, of a caster wheel spindle having a forwardly offset upwardlyextending portion, a bearing member for said upwardily extending portionpivoted horizontally on said plow trame to swing between a verticalposition wherein it holds said plowV frame elevated and a forwardlyinclinedposition wherein it holds` said plow irame lowered, means forshifting said bearing member' between said positions, and means forlocking said spindle against turning in said bearing member operative inthe inclined position of said bearing member and inoperative in thevertical position of the latter, said locking means comprising a stopmember fast with said spindle, a cooperating stop member, andconnections between said plow frame and Isaid co-operating stop memberoperating to shift the latter into and out of engagement with saidfirstnamed stop member under forward and rearward swinging movementsrespectively of said bearing member.

4. An embodiment of claim 3, wherein the first-named stop memberconsists of an arm fasten the spindle, and the co-operating stop memberis carried by an arm swiveled on the spindle.

5, A form of claim 3, wherein the firstnamed stop member consists of anarm fast on the spindle, the co-operating stop member is carried by anarm swiveled on the spindle, and the connections between the plow frameand the co-operating stop member include an arm rigid with theco-operating stop member and a link attached at one end to the plowframe and at its other end pivoted

